BIBLE STUDY

The great number of versions available in the English language is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because the diverse range of English translations of God's Word provides us with a wealth of alternative renderings that can help us in our reading and study of the Bible. It is somewhat of a curse because the veritable babel of translations can be confusing and make it harder for us to memorize Scripture. In this section we will consider briefly the history of the English Bible and outline the characteristics of the four main types of Bible translation.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE

From the early Middle Ages until the Reformation of the sixteenth century, the Latin Vulgate was the official Bible of the Church. This was unfortunate, since only a few educated people could read Latin. Thus the Bible was a closed book to the majority of people.

The later Medieval period, however, saw the production of several partial translations into Old English (Anglo-Saxon). The first full translation of the Bible in our language was the Middle English translation of John Wycliffe in 1382.

Still, it was not until the time of William Tyndale in the Reformation that the Bible was translated into English from the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. From Tyndale's translation work at the beginning of the sixteenth century to the translation of the King James Version early in the seventeenth century, several English versions were produced:

1525 Tyndale's New Testament
1535 The Coverdale Bible
1539 The Great Bible
1560 The Geneva Bible
1568 The Bishop's Bible
1611 The King James Version

The King James Version reigned dominant until well into the twentieth century, and still remains popular. Whereas almost all English translations from Tyndale to the American Standard Version tended to be literal, the twentieth century saw the rise of other less literal forms of translation.

The Four Main Types of Bible Translation

1. WORD-FOR-WORD (LITERAL)

1611 The King James or Authorised Version (KJV or AV)
1881-5 The Revised Version (RV)
1901 The American Standard Version (ASV)
1946-52 The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
1971 The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
1982 The New King James Version (NKJV)
1989 The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

2. MEANING-FOR-MEANING

The Good News Bible / Today's English Version (GNB or TEV)
The New English Bible (NEB)

3. WORD-FOR-WORD AND MEANING-FOR-MEANING BLENDS

The New International Version (NIV)
The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
The Revised English Bible (REB)

4. PARAPHRASE

J.B. Phillips
The Living Bible

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTIONS

The literal (word-for-word) versions are the most accurate renditions of God's Word and include the least amount of translational bias.
Since the literal versions are the most accurate, they are usually the best for Bible study.
The King James Version is linked to more study aids (such as Strong's and Young's Concordances) than any other English Version.
Because of their literary style, many of the less literal versions (such as the NIV) make good versions for personal reading.
It is helpful to include both literal and less literal translations on your bookshelf.
It is best to stay with a single version for most of your reading and study (this aids in memorization).
When choosing your main Bible, look for durable binding, cross-references and perhaps wide margins (for your personal notes).
Study Bibles, since they do not encourage personal study, are best used as bookshelf references.